The Maldives hotel market heats up with 11 resorts launching by 2019

The Maldives has a number of hotels in its construction pipeline—especially within the luxury resort sector—expected to open through 2018 and early 2019. Its portfolio has been expanding since 2013 with the addition of 20 new resorts currently operating. 

These hotel projects are in line with President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom's goal to meet the rising number of tourists to the islands by opening 50 new resorts within his five-year term. The new hotels are expected to generate 18,000 new job opportunities.

Eleven new properties scheduled to open between late 2017 and early 2019 include: 

1. Fushifaru Maldives 

Fushifaru Maldives is set to open in late October 2017 on the Lhaviyani Atoll with beach villas and water villas. 

2. Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort and 

Also opening this month, the Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort will have 68 villas, including 43 over the water and 25 on the beach. As AccorHotels' second Maldives property, the resort follows the opening of the Dhevanafushi Maldives Luxury Resort in September 2017. It has 21 beachfront villas and 16 over-water villas on the island of Meradoo. 

3. Pullman Maamutta Maldives

AccorHotels has another Maldives hotel in its pipeline. On the island of Maamuutaa, Accor will open the Pullman Maamutta Maldives in late 2018 with 120 villas, including 80 over-water villas and 40 on the beach. 

4. Reethi Faru Resort

On the Maldivian island of Filaidhoo in Raa Atoll, the resort will have 150 villas once it is complete in November 2017. The Reethi Faru’s developer Mahogany also owns and operates the Reethi Beach island resort in the Baa Atoll, an UNESCO biosphere reserve. 

Reethi Faru Resort, Filadhoo Island, Raa Atoll, the Maldives

5. Baglioni Resort Maldives

Opening in March 2018, Baglioni Resort Maldives is being developed on the Maagu in the Dhaalu Atoll. The Italy-based chain resort, the first in the Maldives, is set to have 96 villas once it is complete. As it is part of the brand's expansion plans, the new resort will be developed near four of the Maldives' 114 registered island resorts. 

6. Lux North Male Atoll 

Following the relaunch of the brand's South Ari Atoll property in September 2016, Lux Resorts is set to open its second resort in the Maldives on the island of Olhahali. Opening in early 2018, Lux North Male Atoll will have 67 penthouse residences. 

7. Movenpick Resort & Spa Kuredhivaru Maldives 

Also set for completion in early 2018, Movenpick will debut its brand in the Maldives on the Kuredhivaru Island in Noonu Atoll. The 105-guestroom resort will have 33 beach villas and 72 over-water villas. 

8. Carpe Diem Maldives 

Carpe Diem Beach Resort & Spa will also debut its brand in the Maldives in spring 2018. In the Raa Atoll and on one of three uninhabited islands in the Baa Atoll, the Carpe Diem Beach Resort & Spa will have 115 pool villas.

OBLU Select at Sangeli, Male Atoll, the Maldives 

9. OBLU Select at Sangeli 

Opening on July 1, 2018 in Male Atoll, the OBLU Select at Sangeli, an Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts brand, will have 137 beach and over-water villas. As part of Atmosphere's expansion plans, the resort will be the group's fourth in the Maldives. The other Maldivian properties operating under Atmosphere include Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives and OZEN by Atmosphere at Maadhoo. 

10. Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa

Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa, opening in October of next year, will be developed on the island of Fasmendhoo in Raa Atoll. The resort, operating under a brand from global hospitality consortium Leading Hotels of the World, will have 60 beach villas and 60 over-water villas. Its parent company holds sale and marketing, advertising and public relations, financial services, quality control and hotel inspections for over 375 hotels and resorts in over 75 countries.

11. Waldorf Astoria Maldives 

In early 2019, Hilton is scheduled to open its second property in the Maldives. Near the Velana International Airport and the Maldivian capital of Male, Waldorf Astoria Maldives will span three islands in the South Male Atoll. The resort is set to have 138 beach and over-water villas. Hilton's brand also originally managed a resort on the island of Manafaru in the northern Haa Alif Atoll. However, following ownership changes, Dubai's JA Hotels and Resorts operates the resort now named JA Manafaru.